The dispute over the estate of the late Nderitu Gachagua has now reached a critical stage, with serious accusations directed at Rigathi Gachagua and a direct appeal made to William Ruto for urgent state intervention.
The family is seeking a full investigation into what they describe as a long-running and carefully planned attempt to take control of the estate and deny rightful beneficiaries their inheritance.
In a letter dated March 23, the family formally petitioned the president through the Office of the Attorney General, saying internal efforts to resolve the matter have failed.
They accuse Rigathi Gachagua of using his position and influence to interfere with the management of the estate over several years. According to the family, this interference involved irregular transfer of properties, use of proxies in transactions, and deliberate exclusion of key beneficiaries.
At the center of the conflict is a disputed will that the family claims is not valid. They argue that the document raises serious doubts because it is marked as a draft rather than a final legal instrument.
This detail, they say, casts doubt on whether it can be used to determine how the estate should be shared. The family further claims that the conditions under which the will was allegedly signed make it unreliable.
One of the daughters, Suzan Kirigo Nderitu, has stated that her father was very ill during his final days and unable to handle legal matters.
She recalls that while he was receiving treatment at Royal Marsden Hospital in London, he was too weak to read or understand documents.
This account challenges the idea that he could have knowingly approved any will at that time. The family believes this supports their claim that the will may have been manipulated.
Beyond the will, the family accuses Rigathi Gachagua of taking control of key assets linked to the estate. They claim that companies and properties were restructured in a way that favored him, leaving the widow and children with little or no benefit.
Among the contested assets are a garden resort and a beach property, which the family says were acquired under unclear circumstances and remain under his control.
These claims are not entirely new. Similar allegations were raised during Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment proceedings in 2024, where questions were asked about his role in the handling of his late brother’s estate.
At the time, President William Ruto also made public remarks suggesting that there had been manipulation of the will.
The current petition appears to build on those earlier concerns, adding more detail and urgency.
Rigathi Gachagua and his supporters have denied all accusations. They maintain that all transactions were legal and based on mutual agreement between parties involved. They have also released a version of the will to defend their position, arguing that it reflects the true wishes of the deceased.
According to them, the dispute is being driven by other motives rather than genuine concern for justice.
With the matter now placed before the president, the situation has moved beyond a family dispute into a national issue. The family is asking the state to step in, investigate the claims, recover any unlawfully acquired property, and ensure accountability.
This next phase could determine not only the future of the estate but also set a precedent for how similar disputes are handled in Kenya.
